


Love, often Misconstrued as Hate

by AnnaTheHank



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Pre-Apocalypse, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 09:35:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20794505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaTheHank/pseuds/AnnaTheHank
Summary: Gabriel comes to Aziraphale asking about strange feelings he has for another angel. As it turns out, those feelings are about Aziraphale. And they aren't entirely unrequited.





	Love, often Misconstrued as Hate

**Author's Note:**

> I just really needed some soft Azi/Gabe idk what to tell ya

Aziraphale hadn’t heard the door open, but it wasn’t unheard of for the angels to simply pop themselves in if the store was closed. Still, Aziraphale was a little more than surprised to walk into the shop and find Gabriel standing among the shelves, face contorted in concentration as his fingers ran over the spines of books. 

“Looking for something?” Aziraphale asked, holding the pile he was going to re-shelf close to his chest.

Gabriel startled a bit, his face returning to its normal look of content smugness as he turned to face Aziraphale. “Ah. Aziraphale. I’m sorry, I thought you were out.”

“So you decided to stalk around the shop?” Aziraphale placed the pile of books on a table nearby and took a step towards Gabriel.

“I was looking for some information,” Gabriel said. He turned his attention back to the shelf. “I figured, you’ve read a lot of books, you know things.”

“I do know about many things, yes. What can I help you with?”

Gabriel turned away, walking down the aisle to the shelf on the other side. Aziraphale took a few steps after him, but stopped, noticing the tense muscles in Gabriel’s body. He was usually tense, but in a more relaxed, natural way. He was certainly stressed.

“It’s about...this strange feeling,” Gabriel said. His fingers absentmindedly ran over the books but his eyes were wandering about the room. “It’s this tightness in my chest.” Gabriel placed one hand over his chest, his fingers clenching together a bit to mimic the feeling. 

Aziraphale furrowed his eyebrows. Angels couldn’t get sick, so that ruled out any medical diagnosis. “When do you usually get this feeling?”

Gabriel was quiet for a moment, then he swallowed hard. “It’s when I see another angel,” he said.

“Could be fear?” Aziraphale suggested.

Gabriel looked over his shoulder at him, face a hard line. “I don’t think so.”

Aziraphale nodded. “Any other symptoms?”

Gabriel turned back to the books, fingers picked at the spines a bit. Aziraphale fought the urge to stop him, telling himself he could just miracle them back together if they broke.

“I feel, warm,” Gabriel said. “And...buzzy?”

“Well, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were feeling love,” Aziraphale said.

Gabriel turned around slowly. “I think I would know if I was feeling love. After all, we are angels. We can pick up on that sort of thing.”

“Yes. But it is harder to notice it when it’s your own feelings.” Aziraphale tapped a finger against the shelf next to him. “Why don’t you bring them by? I’m sure I could tell you for sure if you do.”

“No!” Gabriel blushed a bit and turned back to the books. “That’s not possible. He’s...busy.”

Aziraphale nodded. “As are you. I’m sure that makes it difficult.”

“Yes.” Gabriel was actively looking directly away from Aziraphale. His fingers started to pick at the books again, making it difficult to Aziraphale to focus on the next question he wanted to ask. “He’s not around much,” Gabriel continued.

Aziraphale’s attention was drawn back to the conversation. “Field agent?” he asked.

Gabriel nodded, sighing a bit. Well, that narrowed it down. Aziraphale tried to think of all the other field agents he knew of, trying to figure out who could make Gabriel feel the strange way he did.

“Been down here long?” Aziraphale asked.

“Too long,” Gabriel whispered. 

“I see. Well-”

Gabriel turned back his face it’s usual color and expression. “I can assure you that whatever it is it isn’t love. It can’t be.”

Aziraphale nodded. “It could be hate.”

“Hate?”

“Yes. The tight chest, warmth, even the electricity. It could be hate.”

“Hate...yes, that makes sense.” Gabriel’s eyes brightened and he smiled a bit. “I hate him.”

“Now, I didn’t say that. I just said that could be an explanation.”

“Thank you,” Gabriel said. “You’ve been very helpful.” And then he was gone.

Aziraphale sighed and picked up his stack of books. Well, whatever that was about he sure hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite him.

-

A few years passed and work was...strange. Usually his reports were answered by Gabriel. Lately Michael had been responding to them. Any big missions or tasks he had used to be delivered by Gabriel as well. Now it seemed that anything he had to do was told to him by Uriel. Aziraphale tried not to let it bother him too much. After all, Gabriel was an Archangel, he might just be busy with something big. That had to be it.

Then it was time for the check up that heaven did every twenty-five years for each field agent. This usually consisted of Gabriel, and sometimes Sandalphon, coming to the shop for a verbal update and to check out the area, as it were. 

He preferred the times Gabriel came alone, of course. He always seemed just slightly different when ever he was around the others. He was more confident and strict and, to some extent, a little bit more stupid. But alone he seemed more relaxed, less confident but more at ease. And, sometimes, if Aziraphale was paying attention, even a little sweet.

But it wasn’t Gabriel who showed up. Not even Sandalphon. When the door opened and the little bell rang out it was Michael and Uriel who were walking into his shop. Aziraphale’s face feel a little, and he wasn’t sure why not seeing Gabriel there hurt so much.

“Michael, Uriel,” he greeted. “What, uh, what are you doing here?”

Michael raised an eyebrow at him. “It’s been twenty five years,” they said. 

“Or have you lost track of time?” Uriel asked.

Aziraphale chuckled nervously. “Of course not. I was just expecting Gabriel is all. Where is he?”

“You should know,” Uriel said, stepping deeper into the shop.

“I-I should?”

Michael nodded, not moving. “After whatever happened last time he was here I’m surprised you’re surprised.”

Aziraphale furrowed his eyebrows. “W-what happened here?”

“We were hoping you could tell us,” Uriel said. She came to a still in the center of the room, hands folded before her. 

“All we know is that Gabriel came back a few years ago saying that he hated you,” Michael explained. 

Aziraphale took a step back. “He said what?”

“He said that he hated you and we were to take over your charge,” Uriel added. She tilted her head, eyes narrowing. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything!” Aziraphale’s attention bounced between the two of them, his mouth hanging slightly open. “He came down asking about some...some angel...and...oh dear.” Aziraphale’s eyes widened and his mouth snapped shut. 

“So you do know what happened?” Michael asked.

Aziraphale sighed. “I’m afraid it was all just a big misunderstanding. I’m sure I can clear everything up with him.”

“Well, he doesn’t want to see you,” Uriel said, frowning at him. 

“Surely you could talk to him,” Aziraphale said. “Just tell him that what he thinks I said isn’t true. Well, it is but not the part he’s thinking about.”

Uriel raised an eyebrow at him and Aziraphale’s lips twitched into a smile.

“If you don’t mind,” Michael said, stepping into the shop finally. “We’d like to talk to you know. About your time here.” They walked past him into the back room and Uriel gave him a hard look before following.

Aziraphale sighed and followed them back, his mind miles away from the report he was supposed to give.

-

Aziraphale let a few more years pass (after all, what was time to an angel). But it seemed like Michael and Uriel never spoke to Gabriel, or if they did, he didn’t believe them, because they continued to answer his reports and give him his tasks. As time when on, Aziraphale decided he would simply forget about it. 

It was probably better this way, after all. So what if Gabriel probably loved him. It didn’t mean anything. It certainly didn’t change anything. Gabriel was his boss. Aziraphale was his subordinate. Even if Heaven didn’t operate like a normal Earth business it still made sense that they shouldn’t. Besides, Aziraphale didn’t even like him that way.

He didn’t.

Another quarter-century check-up came and went. And as much as Aziraphale tried to ignore it all and move on with his life, it was hard to when every time he reported to heaven he was faced with the fact that Gabriel didn’t want to see him. He tried to not report to heaven, to ignore the problem further, but that just brought Michael around and, well, he never tried that again.

There was only one thing to do, he decided. He had to talk to Gabriel, no matter what. So Aziraphale knelt down in the backroom of his study, elbows resting on his couch as he folded his hands. It was a bit strange, praying. But Aziraphale knew it was the only surefire way to reach him. And force him to listen.

“Hello, Gabriel,” he started, closing his eyes. “I know you can hear me. So please just listen. I fear you may have misunderstood what I told you. See, I don’t think what you are feeling, or were feeling, is hate. In fact, I know it wasn’t. I’m fairly certain, especially now, that it is, was, love, as I suggested. And I think...I think if you just talked to me we could figure it out and-”

“It’s not love.”

Aziraphale jumped. He spun around, sitting back against the couch, staring up at Gabriel. The other angel was standing off to the side, face hard and tense, hands behind his back. Aziraphale placed a hand on his chest and breathed, leaning against the couch for support. 

“Goodness,” he said. “You scared me.”

“I do not love...him,” Gabriel said, his eyes fluttering a bit.

Aziraphale studied him and slowly got to his feet. “Gabriel-”

“Hate makes much more sense. After all, I am an Archangel and they are simply lesser and therefore I can’t possibly have affection for them.”

“Gabriel-”

“Besides! There is absolutely no reason for me to love them.”

“None?” Aziraphale asked. He looked up at Gabriel through his eyelashes, only half-aware of what he was doing.

“Of course not.” Gabriel took a step back. “He’s...well...weak.” Aziraphale cocked an eyebrow. “And...uh…”

“Uh, huh.” Aziraphale stepped up to Gabriel. He didn’t move back, but he did look off to the side. “Gabriel…” 

Aziraphale reached up, hand coming to rest gently on Gabriel’s cheek. Gabriel turned his head a bit, his cheeks turning a bit pink. He bit his lip, his eyes wavering slightly as they fought looking over at Aziraphale. Aziraphale watched as his teeth dug into the skin of his lip. He wondered what it would be like to kiss him, to feel those lips around his own, to feel those teeth digging into his skin. Surely it wouldn't be a problem if he just…

Aziraphale leaned forward, pressing his lips against Gabriel’s. Gabriel stood completely still, not even breathing as Aziraphale moved his lips slightly, trying to get him to kiss back. He pulled away a few seconds later, not entirely unsurprised that Gabriel was just staring at him, still not moving. 

“It’s okay, Gabriel,” Aziraphale said. He slid his hand back, running fingers through Gabriel’s hair, cupping the back of his neck.

Gabriel’s head shook softly. “It’s not,” he said.

“It is,” Aziraphale assured him. He placed his other hand on Gabriel’s waist, pulling them closer together. 

“It is?” Gabriel asked, a bit of animation returning to his face as his eyebrows rose.

Aziraphale nodded, smiling at him as he scanned his face. Gabriel’s jaw quivered for a bit then his face turned to a blur as he pushed forward, lips pressing hard against Aziraphale’s. 

Aziraphale laughed a bit, stumbling backwards at the sudden rush. He brought his other hand up to Gabriel’s cheek and calmed the kiss down a bit, turning it from a hard, crushing smash of lips to a soft, gentle, merging of mouths.

Kissing Gabriel was better than Aziraphale could have thought. He let Aziraphale take the lead, controlling the pace and deciding where they would go. Aziraphale nipped at Gabriel’s bottom lip and he followed lead, biting down on Aziraphale’s lip a bit harder. Not that Aziraphale minded. It certainly felt as good as he imagined. 

When they pulled apart Aziraphale found it a little hard to breath. He blinked himself back to reality. “Oh dear,” he whispered.

The smile that had started to form on Gabriel’s face fell. 

“Oh no!” Aziraphale said, grabbing Gabriel’s arms. “Nothing wrong with that! Or you! I just…” he smiled. “I have this strange feeling in my chest.”

“A tightness?” Gabriel asked. His hands wavered for a bit before landing softly on Aziraphale’s waist. He looked down at them.

“Yes,” Aziraphale said. “Accompanied by warmth and...buzzing.”

Gabriel slowly looked up, his eyes following the curve of Aziraphale’s body before landing on his face. “Could be love?” He said, eyebrows rising a bit.

Aziraphale nodded, stepping into Gabriel’s embrace. “Could be.”

Gabriel took a shaky breath and wrapped his arms around Aziraphale, holding him close. He cleared his throat. “It’s okay,” he said.

“Yes,” Aziraphale said. He placed their foreheads together. “It is.”


End file.
